132 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



the edge of the disk (fig. 122), and a versatile introrse two-celled 

 anther of longitudinal dehiscence. 1 The gynseceum, represented in 

 the male flower by a little conical projection from the central 

 depression of the disk, in the hermaphrodite and female flowers 

 consists of a stipitate ovary, tapering into a style which dilates at 

 the apex into a large stigmatiferous head notched on one side by 

 the longitudinal groove traversing the whole length of the placentary 

 edge of the gyna3ceum. The placenta, alternating with two sepals, 

 bears an indefinite number of transverse or slightly descending 



Ceratonia Siliqua. 



^^ 



Fig. 121. 

 Hermaphrodite flower (|). 



Fig. 122. 

 Longitudinal section of hermaphrodite flower. 



anatropous ovules, with their micropyles upwards and outwards. 2 

 The fruit is a sort of elongated pod, straight or bowed, compressed, 

 with thickened sutures. The walls are drupaceous and indehiscent ; 

 the thin smooth epicarp covers a coriaceous mesocarp, more or less 

 gorged with a sweet pulp ; and the thin dry parchment-like endocarp 

 projects to form oblique or transverse false dissepiments between the 

 seeds. These are unequally obovate and compressed, attached by 

 long funicles ; 3 within the thick seed-coats is an abundant horny 

 albumen, in the centre of which is a greenish embryo with flattened 

 cotyledons and a straight exserted radicle. 4 C. Siliqua 6 is the only 

 known species of the genus ; it is a tree from the Mediterranean, 

 whose persistent paripinnate leaves have few coriaceous leaflets and 



1 This anther, like that of the large anterior 

 stamen of Moldenhaiiera (tig. Ill), is in form 

 exceptional among Cassiece, hut this character of 

 itself can have no great value. 



2 Thoy have two coats, and the rim of the 

 exostome is slightly thickened, like the circum- 

 ference of the hilum, which at a certain age 

 forms a well-marked collar around the funicle. 



3 The funicle is dilated a little before joining 

 the hilum. 



4 The cotyledons are more or less unsymme- 

 trical and aurkulatc at the base. The radicle is 

 often dilated towards the apex. 



5 L., Spec, 1513. — DriiAM., Arbr., ii. t. 70. 

 — Cav., Icon., t. 113.— Blackw., Kerb., t. 209. 

 — Fasako, in Act. TSewpol. (1787), 2 is, t. is, 

 fig. 2. — Neis, Plant. Off., \x. t. 19. — Eeronia 

 Theophe. — Keration Diosc. — Sili'/ua .Ma mi. 

 — Ficus JEgyptia Theoph. (ex Adans.). 



